top of page

Library

Publishing is a core part of the CAU's work so results from our excavations can be read and used by archaeologists, students, planners and the general public. 

 

For over 30 years the CAU has published twenty monographs along with over 150 articles in academic journals. Many are available to download for free. 

All of our site reports produced before October 2022 are available to download for free. Search for them by text or using the map. All our reports and our growing collection of digital archives are permanently accessible at the University of Cambridge's digital repository, Apollo

No results

Browse the results below

708

Archaeology of Clay and Glebe Farms, South Cambridge: The 2005 Evaluation

Evans, C., Mackay, D., and Patten, R. (2006). Archaeology of Clay and Glebe Farms, South Cambridge: The 2005 Evaluation. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 708

Commissioned by Countryside Properties Ltd anticipating house construction, the Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) have carried out a large-scale archaeological evaluation at Glebe Farm (centred on TL447541) and Clay Farm fields (centred on TL445550) on the southern side of Cambridge Following fieldwalking and geophysical survey during the autumn of 2004, trial trenching occurred first in March and later throughout the autumn of 2005 In the course of this work, a total area of 112.5ha has been variously investigated (Undertaken on behalf of Cambs County Council, the programme also included the line of the proposed road corridor, which skirts the southern side of the main fields and continues eastward beyond the line of the Cambridge/London railway route; the latter representing an additional 1.7ha.). This divides into three broad zones: (1) Clay Farm - The Eastern �Green Corridor� Fields - An area of 52.5ha where, aside from trenching specifically associated with the roadway corridor and, earlier, the RTS Bus route (Cessford & Mackay 2004), only surface fieldwalking has been undertaken. (2) Clay Farm - The Western Fields - This c 48.7ha area has been subject to trial trenching throughout (including two areas - 1.1ha - investigated during the earlier RTS Guided Busway evaluation; Cessford & Mackay 2004). (3) Glebe Farm - A separate 11.3ha land parcel to the southwest (including the road corridor along its southern side). Generally representing a 2.5% area sample, in the course of the fieldwork 7210m length of c 2.00m wide trial trenches were excavated (14,420sqm).

709

A47 Thorney Bypass: Archaeological Watching Brief on New Roadside Ditches

Dickens, A. (2006). A47 Thorney Bypass: Archaeological Watching Brief on New Roadside Ditches. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 709

An archaeological Watching Brief was undertaken by Cambridge Archaeological Unit along new roadside ditches for the A47 Thorney Bypass. No archaeological features were encountered although a sequence of marine, alluvial and peat deposits was revealed, probably dating from the Mesolithic period onwards. This evidence provides further insight into the fluid and shifting character of prehistoric landscapes around Thorney, enhancing the results of earlier palaeoenvironmental investigations in the area

710

Parkside Fire & Rescue Station, Cambridge: An Archaeological Desktop Assessment

Dickens, A. and Appleby, G. (2006). Parkside Fire & Rescue Station, Cambridge: An Archaeological Desktop Assessment. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 710

This archaeological desktop assessment was requested by The Parkside Development Partnership LLP to assess the likely impact of development of a 0.42ha site centred on TL 457582, the Parkside Fire & Rescue Station. Evaluation of the archaeological, historical, aerial and cartographic evidence shows the site to be located within an urban area of rich historical and architectural significance, dating from the 13th Century AD to the present date.

711

Longstanton Cambridgeshire: A Village Hinterland (II). The 2005 Evaluation

Evans, C., Appleby, G., Mackay, D., and Armour, N. (2006). Longstanton Cambridgeshire: A Village Hinterland (II). The 2005 Evaluation. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 711

This report provides a detailed account of the fieldwork undertaken by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) between late August and October 2005, within the environs of the villages of Longstanton and Oakington between Hatton�s Road, Dry Drayton Road and Longstanton Road, and the former World War II airfield at Oakington, Cambs, as part of the evaluation exercise ahead of the anticipated proposed new town of Northstowe. Thirty evaluation areas were investigated, divided between fields inside (and adjacent to) the former airfield perimeter, and also along the proposed infrastructure routes.

712

Haslingfield Manor Moat, cambridgeshire. An Examination of the Moat Sediments and an Archaeological Watching Brief of Silt Clearance

Timberlake, S. (2006). Haslingfield Manor Moat, cambridgeshire. An Examination of the Moat Sediments and an Archaeological Watching Brief of Silt Clearance. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 712

Following a request for Scheduled Monument Consent to undertake de-silting of the moat at Haslingfield Manor, a project design brief was produced by the County Archaeological Office. This recommended the coring of these sediments in advance of clearing in order to establish their archaeological potential, and to investigate the profile and date of the moat. Hand augering of these sediments carried out along the length of the moat lake, and in five transects across it, suggested that there had been at least two phases of previous clearance, and that the majority of the infilling sediments were modern. Nevertheless, the presence here of some earlier (probably post-medieval) silts, meant that restrictions were imposed upon the depth of silt to be removed. Because of this, a watching brief was carried out by CAU during de-silting operations undertaken in February/March 2005. Few additional features were exposed during this work, and no artefacts other than post-medieval to modern brick and rubbish were recovered from the silt spoil. Beyond the internal moat bank, however, the base of a probable 17th century brick perimeter wall around the western arm of the moat was located and planned. The latter boundary wall is probably the same as that shown within an early 19th century watercolour of the manor

713

Land Adjacent to St. Bartholomews Priory, Sudbury, Suffolk. An Archaeological Evaluation, Watching Brief and Excavation

Timberlake, S. and Wills, J. (2006). Land Adjacent to St. Bartholomews Priory, Sudbury, Suffolk. An Archaeological Evaluation, Watching Brief and Excavation . Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 713

Between July and August 2004 the Cambridge Archaeological Unit undertook evaluation by trial trenching of approximately 8 hectares of land adjacent to (and up to 600 m to the west of) St. Bartholomews Priory, Sudbury, Suffolk, centred at TL 869 428. This was undertaken on behalf of Ashwell Developments Ltd. in advance of a proposed housing development. The evaluation was carried out in accordance with a specification of works and monitored by the County Archaeological Office of Suffolk County Council. Only post-medieval to modern features (such as rubbish pits, ditches and quarrying evidence) were uncovered, although a metal detecting survey of excavation spoil from the trenches revealed evidence for a concentration of metal artefacts ranging from medieval to post-medieval coins and tokens to buttons and musket balls within an area known as Little Fair Field, immediately adjacent to the priory. In December 2004 further archaeological work in the form of a watching brief and excavation was undertaken by CAU in the area of St. Bartholomews Lane and the roadway entrance to the priory. This was carried out at the request of the County Archaeological Office in accordance with a project design specification by CAU which followed the granting of outline planning consent to Westbury Homes Ltd. to develop the site adjacent to St. Bartholomews Priory Farm. Excavation covering an area of approx 7002 metres revealed evidence for a possible parallel ditch and bank with a mix of 14th/15th century and post-medieval pottery within the (inner) ditch fill, which abuts the original track to the priory. This has been interpreted as the probable medieval (outer) precinct boundary. An evaluation carried out by Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service in July 2004 inside of the priory farm recovered 12th/13th century pottery from test pits and a trench to the west and south of the surviving 14th century St. Bartholomews Chapel. This synthesis of current evidence now suggests that the former (inner precinct) of the medieval priory lay to the north and west of the present chapel and farmhouse, rather than in the area of the post-medieval (and medieval) farm

714

Archaeological Investigation at the Ashwell Site, Union Lane/Scotland Road, Chesterton, Cambridge

Mackay, D. (2006). Archaeological Investigation at the Ashwell Site, Union Lane/Scotland Road, Chesterton, Cambridge. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 714

An open area excavation on land at the corner of Scotland Road and Union Lane, Chesterton, revealed non-continuous activity dating from the Early Iron Age through to the 16th century, with possible domestic occupation of the site in the 13th/14th centuries. In comparison to adjacent sites, and being on the periphery of Medieval settlement in Chesterton, the site was relatively late to develop in the 12th century, and quick to be abandoned in the 14th century.

715

Barrington Cement Quarry, Cambridgeshire. Archaeological Evaluation below Barrington Ridge

Dickens, A., Knight, M., and Appleby, G. (2006). Barrington Cement Quarry, Cambridgeshire. Archaeological Evaluation below Barrington Ridge. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 715

Archaeological Fieldwork was undertaken by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU), commissioned by RPS Planning on behalf of Cemex UK Ltd, between November 2005 and mid-February 2006 ahead of a proposed expansion of Barrington Cement Quarry, Cambridgeshire (Site centre TL 385 515). Shortly before completion of the work, the application was withdrawn but the investigations were completed and are fully reported upon here. The investigations, together with earlier phases of aerial photography and geophysical survey, revealed evidence spanning the Neolithic to the medieval period with previously unknown sites identified from the Bronze Age (possibly with Late Neolithic elements), Iron Age and Roman periods. A key observation was that the activity in different periods appeared to be located in different parts of the landscape with pre-Iron Age activity focussing on the chalkland close to dry-valleys, Iron Age on the hill top boulder clay and Roman on the flatter plain below the south facing slopes. Large quantities of artefacts, particularly Iron Age pottery, were recovered during the investigation and these have been subject to detailed study. Radiocarbon dating has tentatively placed an important group of features, including a rectangular enclosure and pit group in the Middle Bronze Age, with two ring ditches apparently being earlier (although the artefacts from the rectangular enclosure and pit group may alternatively suggest an Early Bronze Age date). The Iron Age sites functioned between 50BC and 70AD with the Roman site having its origins in the Flavian, period, after c. 69AD. Collectively, the orientation and alignment of the prehistoric sites may suggest a zone of early landscape clearance and communication running northwest-southeast through the central area of the evaluation site. Despite clear indications of remnant ridge and furrow in both the aerial photography and geophysical surveys, this actually survived very poorly below ground. There was no evidence of Anglo Saxon activity or of the later medieval period outside the agricultural features noted above.

716

Neath Farm Business Park, Church End, Cherry Hinton, Cambridgeshire: A Test Pit Survey

Patten, R. (2006). Neath Farm Business Park, Church End, Cherry Hinton, Cambridgeshire: A Test Pit Survey. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 716

During the first week of April 2006 an archaeological test pit survey was undertaken on land at Neath Farm Business Park, Church End, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge (NGR 548850 257420). The survey was on behalf of Ventress Property Developments Ltd to determine the possible extent of truncation, and the potential for surviving archaeological features. Undertaken in conjunction with a Ground Penetrating Radar survey, a series of test pits were machine-excavated at prescribed points within the business park, which was still in use. The survey identified limited truncation within the proposed development area with the marl natural recorded at between 0.60m and 1.30m below the current land surface. Within the confines of test pits 5 and 8 archaeological features were recorded, comprising of two separate and distinct eastwest aligned ditches. These were ascribed to the 12th century AD from fragments of pottery recovered from both.

717

Ramsey Road, Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire: An Archaeological Desk Top Assessment

Appleby, G. (2006). Ramsey Road, Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire: An Archaeological Desk Top Assessment . Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 717

This archaeological desktop assessment was requested by Carter Jonas LLP to assess the likely impact of development of a 0.72ha site centred on TL265965. Evaluation of the archaeological, historical, aerial and cartographic evidence shows the PDA to be located on the edge of a former fen island rich historical and architectural significance. Currently, the site is used as a bus depot, garage and small business centre.

718

Newnham College Buttery, Cambridge: An Archaeological Investigations and Recording.

Webb, D., Timberlake, S., and Armour, N. (2006). Newnham College Buttery, Cambridge: An Archaeological Investigations and Recording. . Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 718

Between 20th June 2005 and 30th January 2006 a series of archaeological investigations were undertaken in advance of and during development works at the site of the former Kitchen and Buttery at Newnham College. The excavations revealed a buried medieval plough soil covering substantial earlier Romano-British ditches, the latter possibly representing several phases of an enclosure dateable by two distinct phases of pottery dumping circa. 1st-2nd century and 2nd-4th century AD. This implies Romano-British or Roman occupation within the close vicinity, perhaps associated with a nearby farmstead or settlement.

719

An Archaeological Evaluation at McCains Potato Store & Lagoon, Funtham's Lane, Whittlesey

Patten, R. (2006). An Archaeological Evaluation at McCains Potato Store & Lagoon, Funtham's Lane, Whittlesey. Cambridge Archaeological Unit report no. 719

In March 2006 an archaeological investigation was undertaken at McCains Foods (GB Ltd), Funthams Lane, Whittlesey, within the area currently designated as a potato store and lagoon (TL 2325 9760). A total of five trenches and four test pits were excavated in conjunction with the exposure and cleaning of a series of sections along the edge of the lagoon. The site was located within a buried landscape at -0.5m OD, previously identified as a blank zone within the Flag Fen basin. As such, human activity was not evidenced, but the presence of a channel or small embayment was identified which appeared to correspond with a channel recorded to the south at Must Farm.

bottom of page